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A Capital Idea
So far, Hartford community college's relo to G. Fox comes up
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Business New Haven
8/19/2002
By: BNH
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HARTFORD - Capital Community College's relocation this month to the former G. Fox department store building in downtown Hartford is already paying big enrollment dividends.
Even with the start of classes still two weeks away, Capital officials say registration figures are running 30 percent ahead of last year's. The college was rushing to complete its move from its former Woodland Street campus to the 11-story downtown building that once housed the city's largest department store.
The trend mirrors the experience of Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, which opened a new campus in the center of the Park City five years ago. Since then, enrollment at Housatonic has swelled by 60 percent.
It also reflects a larger trend: According to the American Association of Community Colleges, enrollments at two-year colleges are up between six and 20 percent nationwide as a slumping economy forces workers back to school to learn new skills or hone existing ones.
In New Haven, discussions about the future of Gateway Community College have focused on a possible relocation from the existing Long Wharf campus, which the school is rapidly outgrowing, to a downtown site. While Gateway officials continue to review their options, both Gov. John G. Rowland and Democratic challenger William Curry Jr., in separate interviews published in the August 5 Business New Haven, said they favored such a move.
To accommodate Capital Community College, the former G. Fox site received a $55 million facelift to transform the old store into modern classrooms and offices while preserving much of the original building's Art Deco charm, along with its signature fluted columns.
Developer Anthony D. Autorino also plans to open shops and restaurants in part of the building.
Capital officials acknowledge that some of the early excitement about the move may be attributable to an intensive early-registration campaign. Whatever the reason, however, they believe enrollment this year will easily top the 3,100 figure for the 2001-02 academic year.
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